Emily Ellis of Arcola and her assistant Mariah Warriner came to Stoughton from July 29 to August 2 to participate in a week-long film camp at the Stoughton curling rink.
STOUGHTON – Like any movie theater, when you entered the room you could smell freshly made popcorn, the lights were dim, you could hear the quiet chatter of the audience and admission was free.
A dozen young aspiring filmmakers have embarked on an exciting journey and turned their creative visions into reality by producing a short film from scratch.
Emily Ellis of Arcola and her assistant Mariah Warriner came to Stoughton from July 29 to August 2 to participate in a week-long film camp at the Stoughton curling rink.
This unique project involving the twelve children gave them hands-on experience in all aspects of filmmaking, from writing the script to making the props to shooting the scenes, in just five days.
The project began with an intensive brainstorming session about what would be needed to make a 30-minute film.
After some deliberation, they agreed on a storyline and began to present their ideas for costumes and props.
Most of the children had never attended a camp like this before and found it a wonderful experience.
Ellis said the days were long and everyone worked hard, but with so much energy and enthusiasm from the children, it was a lot of fun.
Once they had decided what the film would be about, they moved on to making the props, which was another huge undertaking. Armed with cardboard, paint, glue and lots of imagination, the children transformed everyday materials into magical artifacts and fantastical creations.
Each child contributed their unique artistic flair that made the film special.
The film was called “Tunderella, the story of the Ash Sisters” and has many twists and turns throughout the entire 30-minute film.
The king and queen had twin daughters, and one of the twin daughters was curious about the crown the king wore, but when she tried the crown on, it fell to the floor and broke.
The king insisted that this twin daughter be banished from the castle, but she did not want to go, but her twin sister did, so they switched places.
Each actor/actress played multiple roles, keeping the 150 audience members on the edge of their seats while they munched on popcorn.
In the end, they all lived happily ever after, but the road to get there was arduous.
The filming process was a revelation for the children and taught them the technical aspects of filmmaking and the importance of teamwork.
They learned to overcome challenges, from dealing with the heatwave while filming outdoors to effectively managing their time to stay on schedule.
Each participant was introduced by Ellis and given information about the roles they had played. At the end, everyone was asked what they liked most about film camp.
There was a consensus that they enjoyed meeting new friends, playing games, telling jokes and enjoying the overall experience of filmmaking.
On this occasion, the audience also had the opportunity to ask questions about the production and the group eagerly explained the process.
They all said they are looking forward to coming back next year to film a sequel to Twinderella.
